Italian province sets budget for rail investment

THE municipal administration of Italy’s autonomous Alto Adige province has committed €172m to its mobility and infrastructure plan for 2018-2020.

Among the projects set to benefit from the investment are the electrification of the Venosta valley railway, a renewal of integrated ticketing technology, the development of a new station at Laives in cooperation with Italian Rail Nework (RFI), and a new underpass linking Rio Pusteria station with the town’s cable car.

The budget will allocate €51.2m in 2018, €65.3m in 2019, and €55.2m in 2020.

Contributions are from both the province and the Italian government. The government will also support track doubling of the Bolzano - Merano railway, the establishment of two mobility centres in Bressanone and Brunico, the procurement of new EMUs as well as the participation in the European Horizon 2020 initiative to secure financial support for the acquisition of zero-emission trains.